Archive for June, 2007
Greatest products of all time – the Post-it
Posted on 29. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Who would have thought, that a sticky square piece of paper would become of the most remarkable product success stories of all time.
Read: While You Were Out, the Post-it Went Home – NYT
Pantone brand creates a rainbow of new products
Posted on 29. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Designers and printers have always loitered around with their Pantone colour cards. It’s a creative industry thing, which indicates to others that they’re in the ‘colour business’ and you shouldn’t mess with them.
Now it seems that Pantone Inc – a company founded in New Jersey in 1962 – is getting tired of just printing pretty coloured cards and is extending its famous brand into new colourful products.
Starting in Japan they’ve hired a big shot business stratergist and are developing strategic branding partnerships with companies like Sharp and Uniqlo, to produce a new range of colour-coded items like these Pantone cellphones. [More]
Europe might also be getting in on the goldrush – these Pantone mugs are now available via a UK e-tailer.
Opportunities? – there are plenty. We weren’t even aware that Pantone was a registered trademark, but if you’re in the business of producing products that could explode with a touch of colour, maybe the Pantone guys would be keen to partner up.
[via Jean Snow]
Apple iPhone launch queue LIVE
Posted on 29. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Some wait in line, overnight in the freezing cold to take verbal abuse from Gareth Cliff – while half way across the planet, people are queuing to be the first to buy the all new Apple iPhone.
Gizmodo are in line in San Fransisco. Time there now is 11:27pm.
Geeks – damn thing will probably have to be sent back for bug fixing Monday.
See the live world debut action here.
It’s like a bad episode of Big Brother!
CD Art
Posted on 28. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Use of the hole in a CD can remarkably add to the design on a CD. Makes us think their might be a business model lurking here. The music on the CD is free – you just pay to have the CD’s artwork customised to your liking.
Blond felon’s release sparks a new video game and toy themed Hilton suites
Posted on 28. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
What joy. Just two days after the release of Paris Hilton from an LA jail – the massive marketing spin machine which the blond heiress commands springs back into action with even more brilliant brand promotion ideas.
A new game, entitled ‘Prison Life 2′ has been released – featuring Paris, her rat and a t-shirt printing business. It’s totally captivating. Play the mini-game for yourself here.
In other news – the Hilton hotel group have welcomed their future boss back with open arms by launching to new themed rooms for the heiress to play in.
Mattel has partnered with Hilton Toronto
to introduce Barbie and Hot Wheels-themed rooms for children. The
Barbie room will be decorated primarily in pink, while the Hot Wheels
room will include a car-shaped bed. [more]
It’s good to see that the short time in detention hasn’t broken anyone’s spirit.
[via]
User-generated Youtube ad competition turns ugly
Posted on 27. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Not all user-generated ad campaign concepts end with happiness and a loving feeling.
Malibu [yes - that stuff that smells like suntan lotion] recently ran a user-generated ad competition on Youtube to promote their new banana-flava’d rum. The prize was $25 000 or a banana plantation on a tropical island.
The problem started when the winner, who was supposed to be announced on 30 June, was instead announced on Monday.
Now, words like ‘rigged’ and ‘kill Youtube’ are being flung around and people are burning effigies of Barcardi bottles everywhere.
Lesson – user-generated brand participation is great, but keep it clear and clean and send everyone who enters a bottle of booze.
Read: Outcome of an ad contest starts an uproar on Youtube – NYT
See the winner here – Youtube
All the Cannes Film ad winners
Posted on 26. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
The Cannes 2007 film advertising awards have been announced. The Grand Prix in this category goes to the Dove Evolution commercial. Great ad – you’ll never look at a poppie and think the same as you did ever again.
Other notable Gold winners are: Coca Cola’s American Videogame ad, which we see is now playing on South African TV.
Nike’s Maria Sharapova ad. Big budget blockbuster ad.
…and the Sony Bravia ‘Paint’ ad.
No SA Gold winners in this category.
Browse the rest here.
Nedbank billboard wins Cannes Grand Prix
Posted on 26. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Nedbank and their agency Net#work BBDO won a Grand Prix [that's the big daddy] in the outdoor category for this – the world’s first solar-powered billboard. [see]
The billboard apparently currently powered the township’s primary school. And there are plans to roll out more of these power ad signs going forward.
Now – if they can direct their feelings of goodwill to reducing their bank charges to nearly zero, they really will be delivery power to the people.
Bug eviction notice
Posted on 26. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
FCB Joburg won Gold in the ‘direct’ category at Cannes for this Raid Eviction campaign.
The folk from Raid had an existing database of clients [for what reason, we wonder], but no money for TV advertising. So…
‘We sent out miniature envelopes that were addressed to the pests of the
home, the cockroaches, mosquitoes, spiders and ants. Due to the
envelope’s unnatural size, they were intriguing and immediately stood
out. Inside them, were eviction notices that informed the pest that
their presence would no longer be tolerated. The Raid logo was
displayed with the pay off line, Kills Bugs Dead.’
Nice simple idea, but smacks of spam to us. Unless that database specifically asked for communication on future bug spray developments.
via Canneslions
Rules of engagement
Posted on 26. Jun, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.
Spotted this sign on the way past Riebeeck Kasteel last weekend. It was the ‘welcome’ sign as you came to the ‘waiting area’, while they do road works on about 5km of between Riebeeck Kasteel and Hermon.
With so many rules – imagine if the South African Roads Agency had actually spotted this amazing opportunity, they were creating, and made some good use of it.
They could have sold things at a kiosk – or set up a virgin cocktail stand – or sold slots to the local community to trade with the waiting cars.
Anyone need the toilet?
